MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS -- The Officers Club hosted The Heart Truth Red Dress Gala and Fashion Show in their main dining hall, Feb. 5, 2015.
Last year, Lifestyle Insights, Networking, Knowledge, and Skills program teamed up with the Officer’s Spouse Club in an effort to raise awareness about heart disease, which is the number one killer of women, according to Amber Bilderain, L.I.N.K.S program manager, native of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“L.I.N.K.S is a program that is predominantly [made up of] women,” Bilderain said. “We see a lot of spouses, and this is the perfect group of women to come together and educate other women.”
The night began at 5:30 and the event accommodated approximately 70 guests. It included guest speakers from the Naval Hospital, raffle giveaways for cookbooks and a fashion show of the spring line at the Marine Corps Exchange.
“It’s very informative and [everyone] on base should take the opportunity to learn about all of the information they have for us,” said Melinda McCarthy, military spouse.
The event was sponsored by eight different organizations to include American Red Cross, Take Shape for Life, Cooking Matters and Thrive. All of the sponsors had either a connection to the military or an interest in healthy living, which tied in nicely with the night’s theme of heart health and awareness.
“Our job is to educate spouses about the Marine Corps,” Bilderain said. “So why not educate them about something that’s real and menacing to our lives, like heart disease. Events that raise awareness, like this Gala, are important to spread the word about health issues.”